For many college students, their summers not only include working, taking summer classes, and catching up with friends from home, but also moving into their first apartment! I know that this has been the case for me, and even though it's been a lot more work than I had anticipated, I already love my little home. Here are the six stages of finding and moving into the first place you can call your own!
1. The excitement of the search.
Chances are, you're still early on in your fall semester, probably around October, when you begin the search for your apartment. Even though this will be exciting, it will also be stressful. You'll want a nice apartment in a great location, of course, but also you'll need to know if utilities are included, how much rent is, what amenities there are, and all of that fun stuff. It'll also be stressful, especially if you're a freshman, because you have to figure out who you're going to live with as well, and hope to God you're still friends with them by that time next year.
2. The stress of the signing of the lease.
You've found the apartment for you and your friends, awesome! The work isn't over yet, though. Now you have to sign the lease, which is great because you feel like you're doing adult things and you have a light at the end of the tunnel that was a year of dorm living. What isn't great, though, is the amount of paperwork that goes along with it. (I may be biased because I hate paperwork, but I'm sure this isn't everyone's favorite thing to do.) After you and your friends sign your names on all of the five million (okay, I'm definitely exaggerating) papers, you feel like you can do anything. This makes you feel like you can finally do number 3...
3. The amazing apartment world of Pinterest.
Suddenly, you feel as though a whole new world has been opened up to you. You'll have a place of your own to decorate however you'd like! Your recent searches on Pinterest all definitely include the words "apartment," "cute DIY apartment ideas," and all things like that. You'll have a whole board dedicated to a million ideas you have for your apartment. (Hopefully you get to actually bring a lot of those ideas to fruition, because I know that a lot of my DIY pins have not been touched.)
4. DECORATING.
I cannot deny how much I love decorating, and I'm sure many people feel the same way when designing their first apartment. After you find your bedding (to me, that is the centerpiece of your bedroom), you can begin the search for decorations. Along the same lines, you'll probably have to find furniture, as well! My personal favorite place for that is Ikea. Their furniture is affordable, which is super important for any college student on a budget.
5. The frustration of putting that cute Ikea furniture together.
The one downside of Ikea furniture: assembly is definitely required. It's very easy to find yourself getting frustrated while trying to move all of the heavy boxes into your room, and then being surrounded by a million parts, screws, and picture-only directions. Luckily, that's when your family and friends will hopefully come through and be there to help you put together an entire bedroom and possibly other parts of the apartment!
6. The moment of joy when all of your hard work has paid off.
Nothing can compare to the first time you get to see your part of the apartment all put together. It's a very satisfying feeling, knowing that you have your own little home, and that everything in it was chosen by you! You can finally flop down on your bed and take a well-deserved nap in the place that you can call your own.
